Traveling through ancient times, I led my family to prosperity

Xiao Lan fell asleep in a daze while thinking.

Today, the whole family got up early to steam buns and dumplings. Steaming buns and dumplings is a traditional custom, which means prosperity and symbolizes a rich and happy life in the coming year. This is very similar to Xiaolan's custom in the countryside in her previous life. At that time, she was only responsible for eating and never made anything.

"Mom, let's steam the steamed buns and dumplings at my house this time. We'll each have half, and you won't have to worry about anything when you go home." Zhang said with a smile.

Xin didn't bother to be polite with her and just nodded with a smile.

After breakfast, Xiaoting first boiled a pot of hot water to knead the dough.

Zhang took out 200 kilograms of flour and wanted to make it ferment today. There were three large basins on the kang, which were used to hold soy milk before, and were used to mix flour today. This time, there was more flour to mix, and such a large basin could mix 60 to 70 kilograms of flour at a time.

Zhang Shanfeng, Zhang Qingfeng and Sheng Xuan stood at the edge of the kang, with their sleeves rolled up high. Zhang, Fu and Xin scooped up warm water, held a basin and slowly poured the water into the wash basin. At the same time, the three male laborers kept stirring the wash basin with their hands. Zhang Shanfeng was the most experienced in kneading dough, and from time to time he reminded his son and son-in-law not to make the dough too watery.

When they saw that there was enough water in the basin, they asked Zhang and the others to stop. Kneading dough is a strenuous job, especially kneading 60 to 70 kilograms of flour at a time. Kneading dough requires two hands to stir and knead it into dough. By the time three basins of dough were kneaded, sweat broke out on the heads of the three people.

Cover the wash basin with a curtain, wrap it tightly with a quilt, and place it on the kang to keep the patient awake.

While the men were kneading the dough, the women started making tofu. This was Xiaolan's suggestion yesterday. She wanted to try tofu-filled buns. Zhang naturally agreed. They made three plates of tofu, planning to use one plate for making buns, freeze one plate, and take one plate home when Zhang Shanfeng returns. The women were responsible for cutting vegetables and stewing meat. Zhang cut all the pork in the house, so that the buns would have plenty of meat fillings, so that the family could have a satisfying New Year's meal. This year, they planned to make four kinds of buns with fillings: cabbage and meat, radish and meat, bean sprouts and meat, and tofu.

By the afternoon, the dough was cooked and the fillings for the buns were ready.

Putting the working board on the kang, Zhang, Fu and Xin took a piece of dough from the basin and began to knead it on the working board. When the dough was kneaded into a smooth circle, they flattened the dough, picked it up and made a hole in the middle, tossed it with their hands quickly for a few times and then broke it, kneaded it into long strips on the chopping board, and then pinched it into even-sized dough balls. They rolled out the dough balls with a rolling pin, filled them with an appropriate amount of fillings with a spoon, pressed it down, and then pinched the mouth tightly, and a bun was ready.

Shen showed Xiaoting, Xiaolan and Xiaoyan how to do it, and they quickly got the hang of it. Xiaowen and Xiaohu watched eagerly, and they both wanted to make their own, but Zhang wouldn't let them, fearing that they would waste food.

They could only follow Zhang Shanfeng, Zhang Qingfeng and Sheng Xuan to light the fire and steam the buns. After the buns were steamed, they took them to the yard to freeze. It was very cold outside, like a natural big freezer, and it didn't take long for the buns to freeze.

Store the frozen buns in a clay jar. As long as they don’t thaw, they can be stored all winter.

One steamed bun after another was sent out for steaming. Fortunately, the pot in her backyard could be used. Two hundred kilograms of flour was a lot for steaming steamed buns. Fortunately, she had a large family and they were all good at working, so the dough went down quickly.

Xiao Lan smelled the aroma of steamed buns coming from the main room and her stomach growled. "Mom, I'm hungry." Xiao Lan whispered to Zhang.

Zhang looked at the sky outside. It was just getting dark. "Mom, sister-in-law, let's eat first and then work."

Fu smiled and said, "Children get hungry quickly. I don't even feel hungry now."

Xin also smiled and nodded.

After they finished making the buns, they stopped, washed their hands and ate.

Tonight's dish is very simple, just green onions and garlic cloves, these two are the perfect match with steamed buns.

The freshly-made buns were white and plump, and exuded a fragrant aroma. Xiao Lan took one with cabbage and pork filling. The buns made by her family had a thin skin and large fillings. You could eat the fillings in one bite. The aroma of wheat mixed with the aroma of meat and cabbage in your mouth was delicious.

Zhang Shanfeng and Xin said they were delicious. Xiaolan ate two in a row, the second one was stuffed with tofu. When preparing the stuffing, Zhang adopted Xiaolan's suggestion and added chili oil. The tofu stuffed buns received unanimous praise from everyone, and they all said they were better than meat stuffed buns.

"So what if it tastes good? Tofu is much more expensive than meat." Xin said with a smile.

"Mom, tofu stuffing is delicious, let's make more, and you can also bring some back for my second brother and his wife to taste." Zhang said with a smile, "My family makes tofu, so you can have as much as you want."

Xiaolan's family was happily discussing the deliciousness of tofu buns, while the sound of bowls and plates breaking came from the yard next door.

Xiao Lan's family looked at each other in bewilderment. What happened to the Sheng family? They were steaming buns and steamed bread today, but why did they start fighting when it was time to eat?

It turned out that Zhao Ermaizi had come with his son Zhao Shan. They came with two bags of tiaozi cakes. As soon as they entered the house, Zhao Ermaizi said, "Hey, my relatives, why didn't you call us during the New Year? We are almost a family now, so don't come here to see us."

Zhao Ermai pushed Zhao Shan and pointed his mouth in Xiaoru's direction. Zhao Shan saw that his future wife was beautiful, so he grinned. Zhao Shan had slanted eyes, and his grin was especially scary, which scared everyone in the old Sheng family.

Sheng Nuo and Wang had a quarrel last night. Xiao Ru vaguely knew that her father had promised her to Zhao Shan. When she saw Zhao Shan's dignified appearance today, she panicked and accidentally broke the bowls and plates on the table.

Everyone in the Sheng family had clearly heard Zhao Ermaizi calling Sheng Nuo his relative. Old Master Sheng was stunned for a long while, "Xiao Zhao, who are you calling relative? How can you call him a relative randomly?"

"Hey, old man, I proposed a marriage to your eldest son yesterday, and he agreed to marry Xiaoru to my Xiaoshan. From now on, our two families will be real relatives." Zhao Ermaizi explained to the old man with a smile on his face, "Old man, if there is any work at home in the future, just ask us, we promise to be there whenever you call."

The Sheng family was dumbfounded. Sheng Nuo betrothed Xiao Ru to Zhao Shan. Did they hear it right?

Before the family could react, Wang was the first to break the silence, "You are dreaming, a toad wants to eat swan meat, I don't agree with this marriage."

Xiaoru hid behind Wang, wiping away tears. Xiaoru lived with Shengnuo and Wang in the town since she was a child. She had never worked in the fields, and was not exposed to the wind or the sun. Her skin was much whiter and tenderer than that of the girls from farm families. Wang wanted to marry Xiaoru off to a wealthy family, so she was always willing to spend money on her clothes and buy her all the good materials and jewelry. As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and a good dress makes the horse. Xiaoru's already beautiful appearance would be even more outstanding if she dressed up well.

Wang never expected that the biggest stumbling block in Xiaoru's marriage was Sheng Nuo. Sheng Nuo was so crazy that he wanted to marry her daughter to Zhao Shan, the son of Zhao Ermaizi.